their quarry, aided, as the fowl are, by the elements and by Nature herself in many ways. But one and all alike will maintain that, speaking generally, as much, if not more, health and recreation is derived from shooting as from any other form of amusement, to which is to be added that those who hold large shootings are in a position to give pleasure to numbers of others who, whether as fortunate as themselves, or not, are equally delighted to partake of their hospitality and share in their sport.

HERMIT.

CHAPTER XXIII.

DECOYS.

BY "HERMIT," Contributor to The Field, etc.

FOR Sportsman and naturalist few things supply more amusement and interest than the Decoy. Here twice daily, in favourable weather, the pipes may be worked, and captures of wild fowl may be made, varying from one or two birds to one hundred. And here may be watched the mallard, the teal, the wigeon, and the other stray visitants without disturbance. For anyone who delights to observe the ways of such wild birds, here is an opportunity to be met with hardly anywhere else. Himself unseen, the observer may spend what time he likes peering through the peepholes of the screens without fear of being discovered by the timid wildfowl.

It seems strange, considering the amusement and profit that may be had from decoys that they are so little in use, and that so many have been allowed to fall into decay. In former years we read of fowl to the number of 5000 being taken in one decoy in one season, and though there seems to be some decrease in the number of duck, teal and wigeon that visit our shores, yet large quantities might even now be captured in wellworked decoys. In the winter of 1888, in one decoy with which the writer is familiar, more than 2000 teal and mallards were taken.

Probably very few people know much about decoys and how they are worked. The following is the plan and method of working them, put into a few words. Anyone desiring more information and full instructions will find them in Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's valuable work entitled "The Book of Duck Decoys."

The decoy is a pond from one to two acres in extent. Around it are planted trees and bushes, and it has from one to half-a-dozen channels running from the pond into the shrubs around. It is best placed in a quiet and secluded spot within reach of the sea or some estuary of a tidal river. The outside of the decoy is protected by a fence or a wide ditch. The channels that run from the decoy into the surrounding bushes are curved and grow narrower as they recede from the main water, so that looking from the decoy, the ends cannot be seen. Over these channels are placed iron hoops upon which are spread nets. The hoops are from 12 to 15 feet high at the wide part of the channels, and decrease in size as they near the narrow end. At the end is a net, called the tunnel, which is detachable from the last iron hoop, and into which the fowl are finally driven. The whole decoy and its channels are protected from sight by overlapping screens of reed placed echelon-wise, so that the decoy man can pass behind them without being seen from the decoy, whilst he can look down the channels towards their narrow end and be seen by any birds in the channel— called the decoy pipe. Between the openings of the reed screens and joining them, on the water side, is a low reed screen of some 12 to 18 inches, called the dog jump. In the decoy are kept some tame ducks, which attract the wild fowl to the water, and often help to lead them up the pipes.

Several essential points about a decoy and its working

are these. First and chiefest the wild fowl must never see a human being as they rest upon the waters of the decoy. Nor must they smell him. And they must never be disturbed by the sound of gun or in any other way. If they are it is probable they will not return to the decoy for the season. In approaching the decoy care must first be taken that there is some wind stirring, and that it is kept in the right quarter. For this purpose there are several entrances to the decoy, and the different pipes are worked with reference to the wind. On entering the decoy it is usual first to peep through the nearest screen and see if there are any ducks already up the channel or pipe that it is proposed to work. Should there be any the decoyman quickly gets behind them, i.e., on the decoy side of them, shows himself between the screens, and so drives them up the narrowing pipe until they fly helter-skelter into the tunnel net. This is not, however, a frequent piece of luck, nor the usual way of making a capture.

What may perhaps be called the secret of decoying wild fowl lies in their being attracted by the movements of a dog. So much interest do they show in his antics that they are tempted to follow him up the channel or pipe until they reach the point at which the decoyman can frighten them into the tunnel net.

The dog is worked in the following way. He has been trained to run round the screens and jump over the dog-jump in sight of the wildfowl. He is first taken to the screen nearest the open water and sent round that. The wildfowl raise their heads and gaze. He goes round again. Some of the ducks move towards him. He is sent round the second screen, i.e., the one nearer the narrow part of the pipe. The fowl follow. And so on, he is sent round screen after screen, each time nearer

the narrow end of the pipe until the duck, teal or wigeon have reached the place at which the decoyman can frighten them into the tunnel net by showing himself behind them.

Some decoymen prefer a dog as nearly like a fox as possible, believing that the wildfowl are more attracted by a fox than by anything else. Others use a terrier, and prefer a white one; whilst some dress up their dog in mats and skins, varying his appearance as the birds get "stale," i.e., have been some time in the pool and have become too well acquainted with the dog used by the decoyman ordinarily. Whether the ducks follow the dog from curiosity or out of bravado because they think he is running away from them is difficult to say. Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey thinks the latter is the reason.

It may

be questioned, however, whether inquisitiveness has not a good deal to do with it, for wildfowl in a lake or open water will swim to shore and within gunshot if a dog can be made to run back and forward along the shore.

When the wildfowl are in the tunnel net great care must be used not to let any sound of wings be heard. For this reason as the birds are taken out of the net their wings are twisted together and their necks are broken. by the decoy man. Thus their pains are short, and there is no fluttering, which would inevitably frighten the birds left in the pool, who are entirely ignorant of their fellow's fate.

It is usual to work the decoy morning and afternoon, and the season varies in different places, beginning in some in August and in others not until November, and ending about the end of February.

HERMIT.